1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a golf club such as a putter which is equipped with a readily accessible ball mark repair tool for repairing ball marks in the turf of a golf course. More particularly, the invention is concerned with such a club wherein the ball mark repair tool is removably seated within a complemental recess formed in the club grip, and wherein the tool when seated forms an essentially flush continuation of the surface of the grip.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the game of golf, putting greens must be as free as possible from surface irregularities. Such irregularities may be formed by balls striking the green during play or by errant swings creating ball marks, such as divots. It is the obligation of players to immediately attend to such surface irregularities, for the benefit of subsequent players and because without prompt attention the irregularities can worsen or take longer to mend. Nonetheless, golf course superintendents report that failure to repair ball marks is one of the most common breaches of course etiquette.
Small ball mark repair tools have been proposed in the past, but mainly are designed to be carried in the pocket or on the person of a player. However, as in the case of many small, loose devices, they tend to be forgotten or lost during play. Furthermore, many of these prior ball mark repair tools are of forked or bifurcated design, and can often become stuck in clothing or in a golf bag, making them difficult to retrieve.
A number of prior patents describe club-mounted repair tools. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,955,609 and 5,377,977 illustrate fixedly mounted repair tools secured to the upper end of golf club shafts, near or as a part of a club grip. These types of devices are deficient in a number of respects. First and foremost, clubs of this nature do not conform with the rules of golf, and therefore cannot be used in tournament play. Additionally, in the use of these tools, it is necessary to invert the club and attempt to repair the ball mark or divot from a standing position or by grasping the inverted club adjacent the grip with the remainder of the club extending upwardly. In either case, the effort to repair the turf becomes more difficult because of the unwieldy nature of the club-mounted tool.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,759,111; 4,799,684; 4,925,190; 4,892,314; and 6,758,762 all describe divot tools carried in a recess or compartment formed in a club grip. These types of club designs either alter the configuration of the normal grip or require disassembly of the grip itself. Here again, the standard rules of golf prohibit such take-apart grips.
There is accordingly a real and unresolved need in the art for an improved golf club which is equipped with a readily accessible and detachable ball mark repair tool while at the same time maintaining a normal grip contour and shape and being in full compliance with the rules of golf.